Breastoration: The Breast of the Story: November 2012

The "flash mob" dancing to "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" on St. Charles!

Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day South!

(New Orleans) The official national BRA Day kick-off was absolutely awesome, judging from the reports I've heard, the photos and videos I've seen, as well as the pink feather that I found still blowing around on St. Charles Avenue two weeks later! Let the pictures do the talking. Enjoy!

Kim Sport, one of Breastoration's founders and co-organizer of
the BRA Day event, addressing the media and attendees.

Breast reconstruction thrivers, Mary Frisch and Kathy Sanders Meyers

Most Artistic Design Award goes to
"Save the Gems" by Sandy Falcon-Thielman

Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day North!

(St. Cloud, MN) I highly recommend that everyone consider launching a B.R.A. Day event in their neck of the woods. What a fun and highly rewarding experience! It's especially great if you can partner with care providers who may have resources to magnify the message. I worked with Midsota Plastic Surgeons here in St. Cloud, who enlisted 25 area businesses, via the Chamber of Commerce, to showcase the bras prior to BRA Day, along with educational information. We also partnered with Visual Arts Minnesota and lots of amazing, talented artists who created 31 art bras. But you could collaborate with an area cancer center, an oncology nurse navigator, a local Komen or Making Strides Against Breast Cancer team, or a breast cancer support group. Maybe you also have a local artist organization or friends you can ask to decorate some bras.

Most Inspirational Design Award goes to
"A Penny for..." by Kym Durant

Or maybe you're not enamored with the bra idea (say what?). Like I mentioned last month, if you've experienced successful breast reconstruction yourself, contact your local paper and volunteer to tell your story. We had great coverage in our local newspaper - that article, for sure, reached more people than were even actually at the events - and we had a good turn-out. It made front page feature article in the "Up Next" weekly insert, which focuses on entertainment in the area. There was even a side-bar (top-bar?) about it on the front page of the newspaper. An event is a hook for an article that likely will provide the biggest opportunity to educate women about their reconstruction options, in the personal context of your own experience. But having a big (or even little) event isn't a prerequisite. For sure, don't let it stop you. But at this point, you've got lots of time to dream up something you can do next year!